Carol Ann Lee examines the facts behind the headlines surrounding this infamous case, which many believe led to the dismantling of the death penalty a decade later. Drawing on interviews and in-depth research into the full range of sources, she reveals the woman behind the crime.

Previously published as A Fine Day for a Hanging, this is the acclaimed biography that inspired the ITV drama, A Cruel Love – a portrait of 1950s club life in all its seedy glamour, and a tragic true tale of murder, class, love and betrayal.

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Arthur Aldridge was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery in taking out German cargo ship SS Madrid in December 1941, during which he lost a wing tip. He was lucky enough to survive his squadron’s attack on the Axis’s maritime fleet during the notorious Channel Dash, which saw 40 RAF planes shot down. ‘Arty’ was awarded a Bar to his DFC for sinking two enemy ships off Malta and rescuing a fellow pilot while wounded, as his own Beaufort took four shells. Arthur Aldridge and his loyal gunner, Bill Carroll, who also contributes his memories, are two of the last torpedo airmen left alive.

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Dead in the Water by Penny Farmer is a revised edition tying into Amazon Prime’s documentary series based on her book of the same title.  It’s published in February 2024 by John Blake.  It is the chilling story of how with steely determination, Penny tracked down Duane Boston 40 years after he had murdered her brother Chris Farmer and his girlfriend Peta Frampton, on a boat sailing down the coast of Belize.

Top of the World: Surviving the Manchester Arena Bombing to Scale Kilimanjaro in a Wheelchair by Martin Hibbert with Fiona Duffy is published in April 2024 by Ad Lib.  Ringing endorsements by Ben Fogle, Chris Hemsworth, Richard Madeley and Richard Branson are just some of those paying tribute to Martin’s indefatigable spirit.  He and his young daughter Eve both suffered the most severe life-changing injuries from the terrorist’s bomb in 2017.  As Dan Walker writes in his Foreword: “In this book he carefully walks you through that darkness, but he is always moving towards the light.”

Reckless: Sex, Lies and JFK by Mike Rothmiller and Douglas Thompson is an astonishing investigation into the politically reckless, promiscuous and often lawless lives of the Kennedy clan, chiefly father, Joe and his sons, Jack and Bobby leading up to their assassinations.  Written by a former New York detective and a veteran investigator, it is published in April 2024 by Ad Lib.

How to Catch A Killer by Angela Gallop and Chris Gregg, due for publication by John Blake in April 2025, is a breakthrough book on effective crime-busting by one of the UK’s best-known forensic scientists in collaboration with the former head of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.  The authors use their own cases to show forensic investigations in action.

Something Wicked: The Lives, Crimes and Deaths of the Pendle Witches by Carol Ann Lee is a fascinating departure from her distinguished list of books on some of the major crimes of the 20^th century.  This time she goes back to the shocking early 17^th century witch hunts in Pendle, Lancashire.  Breaking new ground, Carol’s deep research reveals the real lives and characters of the accused women, ending in their notorious trials by public hangings in 1612.  John Blake publish the book in October 2024.

The Search For My Mother’s Murderer by Neil Berriman with Glen Campbell is to be published by Sphere in early November 2024.  Not until February 2007 did Neil discover that his birth mother was Sandra Rivett, murdered by Lord Lucan 50 years ago on 7^th November 1974.  He vowed to find his mother’s killer.  This is his extraordinary story of how he found him, still alive.  This book is the definitive account of how Lucan managed to vanish for five decades, and is based on Neil’s seventeen year investigation and interviews with many contemporary witnesses speaking for the first time.

Traitor by Roberta Kray is her 22nd crime thriller, published by Little, Brown.  The hardback will be available in November 2024, with the paperback following in May 2025.  One reviewer has written: “I was so caught up in each narrative strand – every one felt so compelling and distinct, I couldn’t bear to put it down until I’d solved what had happened.  But the ending – god – it absolutely broke me”.

TV Series Screened in 2024

Dead in the Water.  A three-part TV documentary produced by Raw TV for Amazon Prime, based on Penny Farmer’s book of the same title, and launched in February 2024.  The spectacular and gripping documentary is largely narrated by Penny, Audrey, her 99-year-old mother, and Vince Boston, the son of her brother’s murderer, who was only eleven, when he witnessed the murders of the Penny’s brother and his girlfriend.

High: Surviving a Dubai Drugs Bust.  A five-part docudrama series based on Killing Time by Karl Williams with Justin Penrose, is screened in February 2024 on BBC 3 and iPlayer.  It’s the story of how Karl was wrongly incarcerated in Dubai’s famously horrendous Central Prison, his physical safety and life in daily jeopardy.

Until I Kill You.  A four-part drama on ITV 1 based on Living With a Serial Killer by Delia Balmer.  Anna Maxwell Martin stars as Delia, with Shaun Evans as John Sweeney, the psychopath who tortured and attempted to murder her.  The filming of the series is completed and is due to be screened in autumn 2024.

Lucan.  Three-part TV documentary series based on Neil Berriman’s seventeen year, ultimately successful, search to find Lord Lucan, the murderer of his mother, Sandra Rivett.  Scheduled for transmission by a major broadcaster in October 2024 marking the 50^th anniversary of the murder and Lucan’s disappearance.

A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story is based on A Fine Day For a Hanging by Carol Ann Lee and stars Lucy Boynton as Ruth Ellis, who, in a terrible miscarriage of justice, was found guilty of murdering her feckless boyfriend, and in 1955 at age 28 became the last woman in the UK to be hanged.  Carol is the consultant on the drama, which began filming in late 2023.

Date: February 2024

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Richard Baker’s companion volume to British Music Hall takes us on a grand tour of variety theatres and stars from the 1920s up to the 1960s, when they finally succumbed to the mass appeal of television.  A wonderfully nostalgic book, about which Roy Hudd OBE writes: “Richard’s research is thorough, immaculate and painstaking, but never, ever boring.  He, like the folk from the exciting, highly coloured world he writes about, makes facts fun.  His love for his subject comes through on every page.”

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Without doubt, the most entertaining, best written and superbly illustrated single volume available on British music hall.  During the three decades prior to the First World War, Marie Lloyd, Harry Lauder, Dan Leno, Little Tich, Ada Reeve, Vesta Tilley, G.H. Elliott, George Robey and many more great entertainers ruled the stages of Great Britain’s Hippodromes and Empires.  Richard brings them all to life again in this glorious book.

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At first he was caring but over the course of their relationship he became violent and controlling. On more than one occasion he held Delia hostage and tortured her. Chillingly, he also confessed to the murder of his previous girlfriend. After one serious assault, Sweeney was released on bail, and left her in the utmost fear knowing that he would return to finish her off. After a final frenzied attack leaving Delia on the brink of death, Sweeney went on the run. Astonishingly, it would take the police six years to capture and convict Sweeney of multiple murders.

This is her compelling memoir.

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Anthony Barne started his diary in August 1939 as a young, recently-married captain in the Royal Dragoons stationed in Palestine. He wrote an entry for every day of the war, often with great difficulty, sometimes when dog-tired or under fire, and sometimes when things looked black and desperate, but more often in sunshine and optimism, surrounded by good fellows who kept one cheerful and helped one through the sad and difficult times’. His diary ends in July 1945, by which time he was commanding officer of the 4th Hussars, having recently visited Downing Street for lunch alone with the Churchills. The diaries have an enormous scope covering time in Palestine and Egypt before he joins the Eighth Army, describing the retreat back to El Alamein, the battle and its aftermath. He ends the campaign commanding his regiment. He often graphically details the physical realities of war: the appalling conditions in the desert, the bombardments of the regiment from the air, the deaths and serious injuries of fellow soldiers. In 1943, he flies down to Rhodesia to see his wife and infant son before returning to Cairo to join Churchill’s regiment, the 4th Hussars. Arriving in Italy in 1944, he recounts the campaign as the Allies push north. The tone of the diaries varies wildly: often witty, sometimes outrageous but also poignant and philosophical. The voice and attitudes are entertainingly dated, but are delivered with warmth, a charming turn of phrase and a keen eye for the absurd.

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